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As a key component in agricultural machinery, self-aligning roller bearings are essential for ensuring stable operation and extending the service life of the equipment through daily maintenance. The following is a detailed explanation of the daily maintenance methods for self-aligning roller bearings used in agricultural machinery, based on their working environment characteristics and structural features:

1. Daily inspection and cleaning

Appearance inspection

Surface condition: Check the outer ring, seals, and installation parts of the bearing daily for cracks, deformation, or corrosion marks, especially in humid, dusty, or corrosive environments where observation should be strengthened.

Seal integrity: Confirm whether the sealing ring (such as rubber seal, metal dust cover) is intact, without damage or detachment, to prevent dust, moisture or impurities from entering the interior of the bearing.

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Running status monitoring

Temperature monitoring: Touch the outer ring of the bearing with your hand or use an infrared thermometer to check if the running temperature has increased abnormally (usually not exceeding the ambient temperature+40 ℃).

. If the temperature is too high, it may be caused by insufficient lubrication, excessive load, or improper installation.

Noise and vibration: Listen to the sound of the bearing during operation. If there is abnormal noise (such as metal friction sound, periodic impact sound) or intensified vibration, it may be caused by rolling element wear, cage damage, or abnormal clearance.

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Cleaning and maintenance

External cleaning: Use a clean cloth to wipe off oil and dust on the surface of the bearing, and avoid using corrosive cleaning agents.

. For bearings contaminated with soil or crops, a soft bristled brush can be used to gently brush them to prevent impurities from entering the interior.

Internal cleaning (during disassembly): If bearings need to be disassembled, they must be operated in a dust-free environment. Use aviation kerosene or specialized cleaning agents to clean the rolling elements, raceways, and retainers, thoroughly dry them, and then assemble them.

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2. Lubrication Management

Lubricant Selection

Type Matching: Choose lubricating grease (such as universal lithium grease, extreme pressure lithium grease) or lubricating oil according to the working environment of the agricultural machinery.

. Lubricating grease with high temperature resistance and good waterproof performance (such as composite lithium grease) should be selected for high temperature, heavy load or humid environments.

Viscosity adaptation: Ensure that the viscosity of the lubricating grease meets the requirements of the bearing speed, and avoid excessive viscosity causing an increase in starting torque or insufficient viscosity preventing the formation of an effective oil film.

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Lubrication cycle and amount

Regular grease replenishment: According to the frequency of use, replenish lubricating grease every 50-100 hours (or after each season's operation).

. The new bearing needs to be greased for the first time after 50 hours of operation.

Control of grease filling amount: Inject lubricating grease through the oil nozzle or oil hole until the old grease is discharged from the seal (usually 1/3~1/2 of the bearing cavity), to avoid excessive temperature rise.

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Lubrication Method

Centralized Lubrication System: If the agricultural machinery is equipped with an automatic lubrication system, it is necessary to regularly check whether the oil circuit is unobstructed and whether the distributor is working properly to prevent grease blockage or uneven distribution.

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Manual lubrication: For bearings without automatic lubrication, it is necessary to manually lubricate them with a grease gun or oil pot to ensure proper lubrication.

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III. Installation and Adjustment Maintenance

Installation Specification

Cleaning the Installation Surface: Before installation, thoroughly clean the bearing seat, journal, and bearing surface, remove burrs, rust, or impurities, and prevent scratching the bearing during installation.

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Correct installation method: Use hot installation (heating the bearing to 80-100 ℃) or cold installation (freezing the bearing to below -20 ℃) to avoid directly tapping the inner or outer ring of the bearing and prevent deformation.

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Alignment adjustment: ensure that the fit tolerance between the bearing and the shaft and bearing seat meets the requirements (for example, the shaft diameter tolerance is h6, and the hole diameter tolerance is H7), and avoid abnormal operation caused by interference or excessive clearance.

Clearance Adjustment

Initial Clearance: Based on the bearing model and load conditions, select the appropriate radial clearance (such as C2, C0, C3 groups) to ensure that the bearing can automatically adjust its center and compensate for thermal expansion during operation.

. Clearance monitoring during operation: Measure the relative displacement between the inner ring of the bearing and the shaft through a dial gauge, or indirectly determine whether the clearance is abnormal through temperature and noise changes. If the clearance is too large, it is necessary to replace the bearing or adjust the installation method.

IV. Fault Prevention and Handling

Common Fault Identification

Early fault signals: rapid temperature rise, increased noise, intensified vibration, discoloration or deterioration of lubricating grease, etc., may indicate that the bearing is about to fail.

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Fault type judgment:

Fatigue peeling: Scale like peeling on the surface of the raceway or rolling element, caused by long-term heavy load or poor lubrication.

. Wear: The surface roughness of the raceway or rolling element increases due to the invasion of impurities or insufficient lubrication. Plastic deformation: dents or indentations appear on the raceway due to overload or impact loads. Corrosion: Corrosion occurs on the surface of the raceway or rolling element due to the invasion of moisture or corrosive substances.

Troubleshooting measures

Minor faults: Strengthen lubrication, cleaning, or adjust installation, and continue to observe the operating status.

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Serious malfunction: Immediately stop the machine and replace the bearings to prevent the malfunction from expanding and causing equipment damage or safety accidents.

. Fault analysis: Record the fault symptoms, operating conditions, and maintenance history, analyze the cause of the fault, and develop improvement measures (such as improving the sealing structure, optimizing the lubrication cycle, etc.).

Fifth, Storage and Transportation Maintenance

Long term Storage

Cleaning and Drying: Store bearings in a dry, ventilated warehouse to avoid contact with corrosive substances.

. Rust prevention treatment: Apply rust proof oil or wrap the bearings with rust proof paper to prevent rusting.

Regular rotation: Manually rotate the bearing 1-2 times every 3-6 months to prevent grease from settling or the bearing from getting stuck.

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Transport protection

Shockproof packaging: use wooden cases or foam to pack bearings to avoid shock or vibration during transport. Fixed positioning: Fix the bearing position inside the transport box to prevent collision or displacement.